Danny Boyle confirms plans for ‘Trainspotting’ sequel

March 11, 2013 - By Andrew Flynn

Oscar-winning filmmaker, Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire), has confirmed to The Playlist that he plans to make a sequel to his 1996 classic Trainspotting. The film will be adapted from Irvine Welsh’s follow-up novel, Porno, with a 2016 start-date in mind.

Boyle also expressed a strong desire for the original cast of Trainspotting, which included Ewan McGregor (The Impossible), to reprise their roles in the sequel. However, the acclaimed director did stress that it all hinges on the quality of the script.

Here’s the scoop:

Boyle told The Playlist he hopes to make the film in 2016 and thinks he can get the entire original cast, including Ewan McGregor, back on board. Boyle said he’s very optimistic on his timetable and noted that John Hodge – who wrote “Trance,” “Trainspotting,” “Shallow Grave” and “A Life Less Ordinary,” and last worked with Boyle in 2000 on “The Beach” – is working on the screenplay. “This has been a long time coming,” he said. “There’s always been this long term plan for ‘Trainspotting 2,’ if John can produce a decent enough script, I don’t think there will be any barriers to Ewan or any of the cast coming back,” he said. “I think they’ll wanna know that the parts are good so they don’t feel like they are letting anyone down.”

“The reason for doing it again is that people cherish the original, people remember it or have caught up with it if they never saw because they were younger. So you want to make sure you don’t disappoint people,” he continued. “That will be the only criteria I think.”

Asked what kind of movie the film would be, Boyle revealed it wouldn’t be a straight up adaptation of the book. “It’s very loosely based on ‘Porno.’ There’s a couple of things that are based on the book, but obviously we’d have to have Irvine on board.

Next up for Danny Boyle is the psychological thriller, Trance, which stars James McAvoy (Wanted, X-Men: First Class) and Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Eagle Eye). The film follows an art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals who partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.

Trance will be released in the UK on 27th March and it will have a limited US release on 5th April 2013.